Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe for Imbolc (St. Bridget's Day)

February 2 Isn't Just About Groundhogs

February 2 is the celebrated Groundhog's Day in the U.S., but it's also the day we Pagans honor the Goddess Brigid (or St. Brigid, Bridget, etc.). One of the ways to honor Brigid is to bake a lemon poppy seed cake. Although I admit, I wasn't entirely sure why. So I researched the significance of poppy seeds and lemons, and here is what I came up with:

Poppy seed = Used magically for healing and health. Also can represent psychic awareness, fertility, and family.

Lemon = Can represent love and also purification.

This makes sense to me; Brigid is the Goddess of home and hearth, and she has also been strongly associated with psychic abilities. Also, lemons are crisp and fresh, like spring, and Brigid is the herald of spring, a time of purification.

This the recipe I used:

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix, (or lemon cake mix, but I used the white because it was cheaper, and the lemon pudding flavored it)

1 box instant lemon pudding

1/4 cup poppy seeds

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup softened butter, or margarine

3 eggs

Instructions

Blend all ingredients thoroughly.

Spray your bundt pan or a bread pan with cooking spray and flour.

Pour batter in pan, and spread it around evenly.

Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes for the bundt pan. I used a 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 loaf pan, and it took me almost an hour to cook it all the way through. So, if you use a bread pan, make sure you check the center with a toothpick. If it pulls out clean, it's done. If not, cook it for a few minutes longer.